I'm not going to provide a link. Just look at any major news site...
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Oh, New Orleans...
Is it only the Ninth Ward that's flooding right now, or are there other parts of the city with rising water, as well?
-pH
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
pH, so far the Central Business District is fine according to the intercosmos blog. The lower ninth ward is underwater again according to the news services. But if there's a breach, the city will no doubt fill up again to the depth of the lake. The storm surge should be lower this time, given that the hurricane's eye is much farther away. But I would expect the water to rise to within a few feet of where it was last time.
The good news, if you can call it that, is that fixing the breaches ought to go much faster this time, given all they've learned in the last few weeks. Expect the water to be pumped out again a week sooner this time around.
Also, there should be minimal search and rescue needed this time since everyone's already gone. Plus the military presence there is already great (nobody's left in the city, really, aside from military, national guard, FEMA, emergency workers, etc.) so hopefully no more troubles with looting or arson.
Posted by Jacare Sorridente (Member # 1906) on :
I vote we spend hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild the city. This time with unbreakable dikes and levees. While we are at it, I think the federal gov should subsidize the building of cities on the edge of unstable riverbanks and crumbly cliffs.
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Jacare, do you suggest abandoning the port at the mouth of the Mississippi River? An awful lot of the country's produce is shipped through there, not to mention the oil and natural gas situation. That might not be such a great idea if it sends the whole country into a deep recession.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
And go to war against Iran and Pakistan to rebuild those nations as long as we're at it.
There is a diffence between building on land above sea level and river level, and building on tidal lands and flood plains.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
There ARE in fact people there now. The hotels were re-opening last week, I believe, and I know a few people had already gone back to their homes and jobs.
-pH
Posted by Avadaru (Member # 3026) on :
quote: There ARE in fact people there now. The hotels were re-opening last week, I believe, and I know a few people had already gone back to their homes and jobs.
She's right. A lot of people have already returned to the city. Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
pH, they had another mandatory evacuation order this week, and it seems that almost everyone went. I was reporting what the guys in the blog said. They were out driving around yesterday and said nobody was around at all except military and emergency. They even speculated that they might be the only civilians left in the city. I hope they're right.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Yep, and most of them have been evacuated or re-evacuated.
NewOrleans is necessary, but rebuilding below the level of Lake Pontchartrain is not.
Posted by Avadaru (Member # 3026) on :
Unfortunately, this isn't true. The media's not giving the full story. I know people who are back in the city, friends and family who went back because they were told it was safe because of the area their homes were located. They're trying to ride out Rita because of the minimal damage to their property during Katrina. Stupid? Yes, I think so - but it doesn't change the fact that there are most definitely people still in the city.
Posted by Jacare Sorridente (Member # 1906) on :
Geography and commerce dictate that there be some sort of city at the mouth of the mississippi. Common sense dictates that the city be placed in a less disaster-prone spot. Rebuilding in the exact same spot when the probability of eventually getting hit by another big hurricane is 100%- at a cost of about $200,000 per resident- is stupid beyond belief.
Posted by Tresopax (Member # 1063) on :
They are probably staying in parts of the city that won't reflood, though.
Posted by Avadaru (Member # 3026) on :
quote: They are probably staying in parts of the city that won't reflood, though.
Sure, but what about other damage? They will need rescuing just as much as anyone else if they are stuck without power and water and the roads are flooded.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote: They were out driving around yesterday and said nobody was around at all except military and emergency.
This can't be true, since there are also strippers.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Emergency strippers. "In case of emergency, break dance."
![[Frown]](frown.gif)